Indicia mounting for slotted type bulletin boards



June 29, 1954 c. w. col-'FIELD INDICIA MOUNTING FOR SLOTTED TYPE BULLETIN BOARDS Filed April 2, 1953 Patented June 29, 17954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INDICIA MOUNTING FOR SLOTTED TYPE BULLETIN BOARDS Charles W. Coflield, Chicago, Ill. Application April 2, 1953, Serial No. 346,399

(Cl. llll-140) 3 Claims. 1

This invention relates tc wall charts or layouts of the type wherein individual letters, numerals, characters and strips equipped with lugs are detachably secured in various arrangments on a grooved board for the display of information.

One example of the foregoing is the display of organizational ramifications or structures, sometimes termed organization charts. For this purpose a board or background of Wood having a pluralityof horizontally-extending kerfs is provided, and felt or similar frictionally faced material is secured over the entire active surface thereof, including the walls and floor of each of the kerfs. The width of a kerf and the gauge and body of Ithe felt are so selected as to provide a plurality of horizontally-extending channels of resilient, frictional character adapted to engage lugs forming rearward extensions of the indicia to be displayed. Such indicia are generally punched from a sheet of plastic composition and, by means of dies are formed to the required configuration, including the attaching lugs. Thus, a specific arrangement of indicia may be set up by inserting the lugs in the grooves, wherein the letters, etc. are frictionally and detachably secured.

No unusual problem is presented in manipulating letters, numerals and other characters, and strips to indicate lines. However, in the case of organization charts particularly it is desirable, for esthetic reasons, and for clarity, to surround by a ruled box, the various individual names and the attendant ofce or function.

Ordinary strips heretofore known do not lend themselves to the formation of boxes, as the alignment of the thin, sometimes laccid strips presents a crude, home made aspect Whereas the demand is for an arrangement which, notwithstanding frequent rearrangement, appears to be custom made. Boxes comprised of strips have obvious, poorly matched corners so that, in its overall appearance, the chart is far from presentable.

To remedy the foregoing shortcomings, the instant invention has for its principal object the provision of means adapted for cooperation with a grooved background board of the character outlined for providing a box for emphasizing a specic piece of information and Which box will appear as a continuous frame.

Another object lies in the attainment of the foregoing objective by means which permits utilization of typewritten, printed or other reproduced matter as the information contained in the box.

O-ther objects will appear from the following description which, taken with the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In this drawing:

Fig. l shows a typical organizational chart utilizing the principles of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective cross section of one of the invention units in its relation to the mounting board;

Fig. 3 is a perspective View similar to Fig. 2, but showing the parts assembled; and

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view, somewhat enlarged, of one of the units of Fig. l, and with the indicia sheet withdrawn.`

Regarded broadly the invention contemplates the provision, together with a well-known type of mounting board, of a suitably colored frame part having a pair of horizontally-disposed slots spaced apart some multiple of the pitch of the grooves of the mounting board. Arranged to overlie the central portion of the frame part is a card upon which the information is typewritten or printed, and arranged to conne the card and to support the card and frame part is a transparent cover having rearwardly bent flanges or ears adapted to pass through the slots and to engage frictionally the grooves of the mounting board. Thus, the assembly reveals a border of one color and a panel of contrasting color therewithin and bearing the indicia.

Turning now to the drawing, Fig. l depicts a portion of a mounting board I0 of common form comprising (Fig. 2) a wood panel ll having horizontally-extending kerfs l2. Overlying the entire working surface of the board, and secured thereto, is a frictional material, e. g. cotton felt, the Width of the kerfs and the gauge of the felt being so selected as to provide crevices I3 for frictionally receiving the lugs or flanges of the interchangeable characters carried by the board as well as the flanges of the principal member of the invention organization to be detailed. By way of example a company organization chart is shown, and will be constituted by the display of a plurality of names of individuals generally indicated as depending upon one another by virtue of lines of authority, departmentization, etc., and accompanied by their respective titles. Each office ordinarily is presented in a frame l5, sometimes referred to as a box, say White, surrounding the information panel I t, say black, in order to provide legibility and contrast. Heretofore the information has been carried on a panel having lugs for insertion in the crevices I3 or by means of individual letters similarly carried and surrounded by a pieced-out border. Accordingly, the border, comprised of ilexible, plastic strips bent to nt into the crevices I3, evidenees badly matched or butted corners, lack of rectangularty and a consequently unnished and undesirable aspect.

The invention includes the rear part or frame member I5 of any suitable material, e. g. white plastic sheet having a pair of horizontally disposed slots l'-l'l for a purpose to appear presently. If desired each slot Il-l'l may comprise a plurality of axially-aligned slots, and a single frame member may carry a plurality of slots or such groups o slots depending upon whether the same is adapted for use with a single size of indicia panel or a plurality of sizes thereof. The information to be displayed is printed or otherwise applied to the panel i6, e. g. as shown in Fig. 3, and may be of a color calculated to provide suitable contrast with the frame member l5.

rI'hus assuming white were chosen for the member and black for the panel l, the net ei'iect is that of a white frame surrounding the information panel (Fig. 4). Obviously, and if desired, the indicia may be punched out or" the panel in the manner of a stencil, in which ease the member i5 will provide a contrasting background in the form of a frame and defining the individual characters,

To retain the member l and panel IG in their relative location, and upon the board lil, a transparent cover 2| of plastic composition is provided, and includes a pair of rearwardly extending anges er lugs 22-22 adapted to fit snugly over the upper and lower edges of the panel lli to prevent the same from shifting, and to extend through the slots l'i-Il and within the erevices 3 wherein they are frictionally detachably secured.

Fig. 2 shows these several parts prior to assembly with the mounting board. Juxtaposition ci the at faces of the several members will provide a simple, inexpensive and inconspicuous mechanical arrangement which is not easily subject to accidental disturbances, e. g. vibration. lvioreover, since the pitch of the crevices i3 is standard in the industry my invention is capable of universal application.

In the foregoing, I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention in which it will be understood, of course, that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made, and I therefore contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In combination with a mounting board as described having a plurality of crevices a display unit comprising a thin, at, rear member having at least one horizontally disposed aperture therethrough, an indicia-bearing panel of smaller area than the member and substantially centrally thereof to define a marginal, forwardly-exposed area surrounding the periphery of the panel, and a cover for said panel including a transparent zone coextensive with the indicia and having at least one rearwardly extending flange received through said aperture for frictionally engaging a crevice of the board.

2. In combination with a mounting board as described having a plurality oi horizont-allyextending crevices a display unit comprising a thin, flat, rear member having a pair of horizontally-positioned slots, an opaque indicia-bearing panel of smaller area than said member to define a marginal, forwardly-exposed area surrounding the periphery of the panel, and a cover for said panel including a transparent zone coextensive with the indicia and having a pair of rearwardly extending ianges substantially the length of the slots and received therethrough and frictionally engaging crevices` of the board.

3. In combination with a mounting board as described having a plurality of equally spaced horizontally-extending crevices a display unit comprising a thin, flat, opaque, rectangular rear member having a pair of horizontally-disposed slots, the axes of the slots being spaced apart some multiple of the pitch of the crevices, a rectangular indicia-bearing panel coextensive with a rectangular central zone of said rear member and juxtaposed thereto, and a cover for retaining said member and panel in a predetermined relation and against the board including a transparent zone providing a window for exposing the indicia and a pair of rearwardly-directed flanges for passage through said slots and frictional insertion into respective crevices.

No references cited. 

